But the center was closed last week because the good Samaritans who allowed Maia to freely use part of their building had to rent out the space due to economic reasons.
“Half of the duplex will have to be rented ASAP since the owner can’t afford to keep providing the building for free in this sick economy. He’s done so for over two years now. If it weren’t for him and his wife, Connie Manglona, giving me free places to live and run the center, for the past three and a half years, there never would have been a donation center, or the thousands of free books given away to all the people/children of Tinian,” said Maia in an e-mail.
Maia had traveled all over the world to bring her charitable work. She found a new home on Tinian more than three years ago and opened the center there.
She said people from the states, England and Canada donate the books for the center.
The clothes and other stuff she distributed to the underprivileged were from local residents.
Maia worries that children on Tinian will be denied access to free books when her center closes.
“When I’m gone, there will be nowhere on the island for them to get books, even to buy them, much less for free,” she said.
She begged the Tinian Mayor’s Office to help her continue running the center but there was no positive response.
Maia posted this note outside the center: “Permanently CLOSED. Because both the mayor and his opponent have ignored my pleas to help keep it open as I can’t afford rent for the building. Please know I love you all & am very sad to have to move the Donation Center to a place where a Mayor will want to help his people.”
Maia continues to hope that the donation center will again find a place to continue serving the people of Tinian.
